Press Council criticizes publication of violent video!
Senate 1 of the Press Council calls on the media to show more restraint and respect for the personal sphere of crime victims. The reason for this is the publication of a violent video on various media websites. The video shows a 15-year-old Viennese girl being severely slapped by several young people and receiving several punches in the face. The victim endures the brutal attacks without resistance.
We reported about it here !
The violent video was first published on Facebook and was viewed over three million times.
The Senate considers it problematic that Facebook only deleted the video after days and numerous complaints. The Senate classifies the distribution of the video, which depicts brutal real violence, as unethical.
Facebook has neglected its ethical responsibilities as a platform
Apparently Facebook has neglected its ethical responsibility as a platform and has not moderated things quickly enough to protect young people. It took far too long before the video was finally deleted.
The Senate criticizes the fact that some media outlets also published the violent video or images from it, thereby prolonging the distribution of the video. Apparently, considerations about the high click rate were in the foreground here.
After Facebook deleted the video, it was still available on media websites. In the meantime, the violent video was completely or at least partially taken down by the affected media.
In the Senate's opinion, the distribution of the violent video served the voyeurism and sensational interests of some users. In addition, this also interfered with the victim protection of the seriously injured girl.
The Senate emphasizes that the victim is a young person and is therefore particularly worthy of protection.
In this context, the Senate recalls point 10.3 of the Code of Ethics, according to which photos that were taken without respecting the privacy of those depicted may only be published if a public interest that goes beyond the voyeuristic is clearly evident. The Senate does not recognize such an interest here.
The Senate is aware that the discussion about brutal violence perpetrated by young people is important for the general public. There is also a public interest in reporting on and questioning the spread of the violent video on social media.
However, in the Senate's opinion, it is not necessary to adopt the violent video for this discourse. The brutality conveyed by the video is shocking. Some of the users may have been woken up by the violent video.
However, this effect takes a back seat to the personal interests and human dignity of the victim (see point 5.1 of the Code of Honor for the Austrian Press). Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that the violent video encourages imitation acts.
In the present case, it is not only the severity of the bodily harm, but also the deliberate recording of the act on video and the viral spread of the violent video on social networks that are causing outrage.
In the Senate's opinion, Facebook in particular, but also the traditional media, should have ensured from the outset that the violent video did not spread to such an extent in order to protect the victim's personal space. In addition, the distribution also resulted in several users insulting and threatening the suspected young perpetrators in postings about the violent video.
The Senate appeals to the media, but also to “Facebook”, to pay closer attention to the protection of personality and the human dignity of young crime victims in the future and reserves the right to initiate media ethics proceedings against individual media outlets due to the publication of the violent video or images from it.
SENATE 1 OF THE AUSTRIAN PRESS COUNCIL. The Press Council is an association that promotes responsible journalism and includes the most important journalist and publisher associations in Austria. The members of the Senate of the Press Council are independent and independent.
Source: Senate 1 Press Council
Notes:
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